Walking the Stars - Brothers
by Sweetinsane
Summary: Luke and Galen have grown close, but Darth Vader's attention –or the lack of it still hangs between them. Luke is desperate to believe in his father's good intentions, but the more caught up in Vader's schemes Starkiller becomes, the more he starts questioning both himself and his Master. Sequel to Walking the Stars - Rivals. You do not need to be familiar with The Force Unleashed.
1. Chapter I

**Walking the Stars - Brothers**

**CHAPTER I**

Desert. Mountains and canyons in the distance throwing long shadows against the endless barren lands. The coolness of night was quickly making way to the day's heat as Tatoo I kept creeping up on the sky with its twin, Tatoo II, following in the horizon. Thin metal towers dominated the land here, collecting every single drop of humidity around them. On this planet water was far more precious than any of the rare minerals or jewels hidden under the rock and sand. Vaporators were delicate objects that needed constant maintenance. And as any dutiful moisture farmer, the owner of these vaporators had risen before the first light of the suns to check on the instruments. Sabotage was not unheard of in these parts where the Tusken Raiders were seen every now and then despite all the efforts from the locals to drive them away. This morning the desert was silent and peaceful.

The same silence and peacefulness were not, however, what awaited Owen Lars at home upon his return from the first check-up round of the day. Two young men with red lightsabres was a sight he had grown used to during the past eight years, but the outright battle instead of the usual coordinated, practised movements on the yard made him wish he'd stayed to check even the furtherest ridge.

Galen, the assassin boy he'd accepted as his older adopted son, chased his younger brother Luke who had been forced into defence. Owen didn't know much about lightsabre fights and frankly had no interest in them, but even to his untrained eye it was clear that Luke was being badly outdone. They weren't just battling each other, either. PROXY, the dutiful combat droid Owen would've rather seen turned into a maintenance droid, had assumed yet another form of a Jedi long since gone. Both of the boys kept keeping the droid at bay while trying to defeat each other. The red lights of their weapons moved faster than his eye could follow.

His wife Beru stood red-faced in the doorway with a broom. "Galen Lars, how many times do I have to repeat myself? No lightsabers indoors!"

"Sorry, aunt Beru!" the boys called in unison, sounding not in the least sorry. Luke took advantage of the mere second of Galen's divided attention and leapt backwards right onto the dining table.

"Luke!" Beru screamed, shaking the broomstick for emphasis. "Off the table this instant!"

Rarely was she seen so angry.

"Sorry, aunt Beru!" their younger son responded again, but Galen had reached the table. Luke had the higher ground now, but he had essentially cornered himself, and even he, short though he was, was not able to stand to his full hight while standing on the table under the painted roof.

Turned out it didn't matter. As Owen descended the final steps down to the yard, PROXY attacked Galen viciously, giving Luke enough time to escape. He chased down the two, and took the opportunity to stab his lightsabre right through PROXY's hologram body. The droid fell down defeated, but their duel was far from over. If anything, without the need to fight the droid as well, their mutual knowledge of each other made the battle even more difficult. Without PROXY's interference it was almost too easy to instinctively know what the brother would do next. It was harmony that looked like chaos from an outsider's eyes.

The world outside faded away. It was just the two of them and the Force. The mighty, domineering dark and intoxicating Force all around them, and it was their's to manipulate. For Luke, time had slowed down. The glowing red light, the extension of his arm was all there was. And yet it was as if he could see everything, hear everything, feel—

He yelped when a powerful blow of Galen's lightsabre knocked the weapon off his hand. He stepped backwards, already reaching with the Force to recover the hilt, but stumbled on his feet when Galen's aggressive Force push hit him hard on the chest and he fell down on his back. The red, lowly humming weapon was mere millimetres away from his neck long before Luke's weapon was back in his hands. Galen scowled at him, towering over him. He could finish his brother off there and then, and no one could do a thing about it.

To them, the moment seemed to last forever, but what both Owen and Beru saw, was Luke falling down and Galen striking for the killing blow, only to deactivate the blade just before it would've gone right through Luke's neck.

Galen grinned down at his brother, hooked the hilt back on his belt and offered his hand to help Luke up. Luke grinned as well, taking the offered hand.

"This is why Lord Vader won't let you come with me on the missions", Galen huffed.

"Oh come on! I wasn't that bad! We'd make a great team."

"Yeah, a great team in which I'd have to be saving your neck every time you got distracted."

"It wouldn't be the same in real situation! I know you won't kill me."

"And as long as you think like that you're not ready", Galen replied.

Luke was a good fighter. Very good. There was no denying that. But he also had a bad habit of walking with his head in the clouds and getting distracted by the tendrils of Force. He was a quick learner, far quicker than Galen was. If he hadn't had the eight year head start, Luke would probably have been superior with his skills. As of now, Galen could still beat him almost always, but it wasn't as easy as it used to be.

"You're far too trusting. If I'd been an enemy you'd be dead now."

"But you aren't!" Luke argued.

Galen would have argued back, but aunt Beru's hands grabbed his shoulders from behind. "Galen Lars!"

Galen turned around reluctantly. Both boys bit their lips and rather looked at anything else but their furious aunt.

"And you, too, Luke. Shame on both of you! What have I said about those weapons?"

"No lightsabres indoors", both young men replied dutifully.

"Exactly! I've told you a million times I don't want those glowing sticks in my house. Which one of you hit the corridor wall this time?"

"Sorry, aunt Beru" they muttered in unison.

"And was that a lightning I saw, Galen? I've told I never want to see them here. In fact, I never want to see any battles in my house at all. Training you can do on the yard as much as you want on your free time, but battles you take to Beggar's Canyon or anywhere else where you won't be seen. Is that clear?"

"Yes, aunt Beru... Sorry, aunt Beru..."

"And Luke. No hopping on the furniture! I don't want your dirty feet on my dining table. You're cleaning it right after I'm done with both of you."

"Okay..." the younger boy sighed, awkwardly running fingers through his unruly hair.

"You're both going with Owen for the rest of the day. No more additional practising. You do your daily exercises and that's it. Neither of you goes to Tosche's tonight and Holonet is off limits."

"Yes, aunt Beru..."

"And PROXY, I'm not forgetting about you!" Beru called the combat droid. He was back on his feet now, hologram turned off. "You were in on this, too. You're not allowed to ambush them inside."

"I am aware of that, mistress Beru", the droid replied. "I am a droid, I do not go against commands. I ambushed the masters here. They took the battle inside, but I did not follow them because that would have been against your command."

"PROXY's telling the truth", Galen was quick to defend his droid. "He's just doing what he's programmed for."

"PROXY perhaps isn't at fault, but you two..! I don't want life and death situations on my yard! Galen, you nearly killed your brother!"

"No, I didn't!"

"He didn't, honest!" Luke echoed, tugging at his collar. "He didn't even scratch me! Look!"

"Maybe, but it looked like a close call", she chided, taking a closer look at Luke's neck.

"It wasn't!" the boy assured, trying to show off how unharmed his neck was.

"To my eyes it did, and I don't want to see it happen. Vader might be alright with your games, but I'm not."

"They're not games..!"

"Silence, both of you", Owen hollered at the boys. "Don't argue with Beru. You're coming with me to ridge after breakfast and you leave your lightsabres here."

"But what if—" Luke started, about to suggest they might need them in case the Tusken Raiders showed up, but Owen silenced him with a sharp look. The last of the yellow that had tinted Luke's eyes in the heat of the battle faded away, giving way to the blue.

"No buts."

"Thank you, Owen", Beru said, waving the man away. "I'm quite capable of handling this myself. The breakfast isn't ready yet. Luke, clean and set the table. Galen, you help me finish in the kitchen."

The brothers submitted to their fate without further arguments. Beru was still unmistakably annoyed by their behaviour throughout the breakfast, but was back to her happy, easy-going self when the boys arrived for dinner with Owen when the Tatoo I had already sunken behind the horizon. The lunch they'd eaten right after the hottest hour out in the desert.

With no Holonet allowed for either of them, the boys spent the evening sparring and brushing up their sword techniques. It was nearly time for shutting off the generators, when PROXY, who heavily favoured indoors because of the presence of sand everywhere outside, approached Galen.

"Master, a call from Lieutenant Lekauf."

Both boys dropped what they were doing instantly.

"What is it?" Luke wanted to know, barely able to conceal his excitement. Erv Lekauf only contacted them if Luke's father had contacted him. The messages were almost always meant for Galen, but Luke kept hoping that maybe this time the message would be for both of them. That maybe this time father would allow Luke to accompany Galen on his mission.

"It's for me", Galen said with confidence. They always were.

"Encrypting connection", PROXY told. The hologram around him started to take shape, within seconds it appeared as if the droid was gone and a man stood in his place.

"Erv!" Luke exclaimed before any formal greetings both the man and Galen were so fond of could have been made. "Hi!"

"Hello, Luke", Erv greeted with a sharp nod. Luke liked his father's former aide, not only because out of all the people he knew, the man had spent by far the most time with Darh Vader, but also because the man was just genuinely pleasant and interesting company. Sadly they didn't meet in person very often as Erv had relocated to Mos Espa after only a few years in Mos Eisley.

Galen cleared his throat. "Good evening, Lieutenant Lekauf."

"Evening, Starkiller."

Starkiller. The name sounded cold and unfamiliar to Luke. Only Erv and Vader ever called him by that name. And it always meant business.

"You've been given a mission. And Lord Vader's found you a new pilot, who's due to arrive some time before the noon tomorrow. If you could arrive around the same time—"

"I'll leave right away, sir."

"No, no, you don't need to drive here tonight. If you leave at sunrise you'll be here by noon."

"Sir, I'm not afraid of Tusken Raiders. If I leave tonight, I'll be there by sunrise and I'll have plenty of time to get ready", Galen argued.

"If that's what you want to do."

"I will see you at sunrise."

"Very well. Goodnight, Luke. Travel safely, Starkiller."

The call was ended without any details about Galen's new mission discussed. They never took unnecessary risks when it came to the safety of their home. The Empire had its ears and eyes even on this remote dustball.

"You're really leaving tonight?" Luke asked, even though he knew the answer. There was nothing Galen took as seriously as Vader's orders.

Galen didn't reply. Just headed to his room to gather what he'd need to survive a few days or weeks away. Luke followed him.

"Take me with you."

"You know Lord Vader would kill me if I did that."

"No he wouldn't", Luke laughed. "Come on, I promise I won't be in your way. You don't need to take me with you to slay the Jedi. I could just be your pilot. I'm good at piloting."

"I don't need a pilot. Lekauf just said your father's found me a new one. And being my pilot isn't an easy or a safe job", Galen reminded. "My previous pilot got killed."

"I wouldn't."

Of that Luke was probably right. By "got killed" he meant "your father choked him to death". But he couldn't tell that to Luke.

"Come _on_, you know I'm a good pilot. You always say you hate training new pilots. You wouldn't need to train me!"

"No. Luke, I know how much you want to, believe me. There were times when I thought Master would never send me on a new mission again. Your time will come, you just need to practise some more."

"But I do practise!" Luke whined. "And I'm ready! He just doesn't know that because he never talks to me! He doesn't even care!"

"Master Vader cares about your training the most", Galen replied, surprising himself for how well he could keep the bitterness from his voice. How could Luke even say that? Master cared far more for his son than he did for his apprentice. Not that he was an official apprentice. Sixteen years and Master still would not call him an apprentice. He shouldn't have cared, but he did. Because Vader didn't care for his not-apprentice at all, in fact. Starkiller would get attention only as long as he was useful. What would happen then was the gnawing sensation that still kept him awake at nights, no matter how much he tried to ignore it. It ate away at his mind, consuming his heart and filling it with fear.

What would happen to Galen Lars, when Starkiller became useless?

Luke evidently didn't share his fears, didn't see things his way. Luke thought the lack of interest Vader showed meant he didn't care, when nothing could've been further away from the truth. Galen had never seen Lord Vader care for anything as much as he did for his son, but Luke mistook his father's protectiveness for disregarding.

"He doesn't, he doesn't even know me! He doesn't speak to me, he doesn't even want to see me!"

"He's protecting you."

"He's ignoring me."

Galen shoved his things in his bags angrily. "Fine. Whatever. Think what you want. I'll see you in a few day or maybe weeks. Depends. Practise a lot, because when I'm back I'm taking you to the Beggar's Canyon and at this rate I'm going to beat the shit out of you."

He threw the bag over his shoulder and marched out of the room.

"Aunt Beru, uncle Owen", he called. "I'm taking the swoop, I need to be in Mos Espa by sunrise."

Owen hmm'ed in response. Galen came and went like this all the time. Aunt Beru, on the other hand, got up to hug and kiss him, and then fussed over the poor boy and insisted he'd have to take the leftovers of the dinner with him. It was her way of dealing with the fact that her elder son was basically a trained assassin, on his way to kill someone and Galen tolerated it. Even though aunt Beru was always like this, it still made him uneasy. The early childhood spent alone in a harsh environment had made him forever wary of touch.

Luke was waiting for him in the garage with PROXY, who would be coming with him.

"Hey."

Galen acknowledged the greeting with a nod.

"Listen, Galen... I'm sorry I lost my temper like that."

"It's fine."

"Yeah, but I don't want you to leave if we're fighting."

"We're not", Galen assured him. "Cheer up, kid. I'll bring you a souvenir."

Luke's lips curled into a small smile. "Give that Jedi some extra from me, too, okay?"

"I don't know if it's a Jedi, but deal", Galen said, hopping on the swoop. PROXY followed his example. The poor droid hated the swoop. "Practise a lot while we're away, alright?"

"Yeah. I'll kick your ass when you get back."

"We'll see about that", Galen laughed and reached out to ruffle Luke's blond hair.

"Good luck."

"The Sith don't need luck."

"I know. Force be with you."

"The Dark Side is always with us, Luke."

His brother cracked a smile. "Whatever. Get lost, Erv's waiting for you."

Galen grinned and revved the engines. The repulsors lifted the vehicle up to the ground level through the opened tech dome and the swoop shot off into the darkness of desert night. Luke smirked and grabbed a backpack of his own that had been hidden behind the landspeeder. He then ran to the living room, making a show off it.

"Did Galen leave already? He was supposed to wait for me!"

"What?"

"I told him I don't want to make a race of it!" he whined before his aunt could say more. Even Owen's attention was on him and he didn't look at all convinced.

"Your father's sending _you_ on a mission?" he questioned.

"Well, um, yes. Sort of", he mumbled. He straightened his back a little in an attempt to look more convincing.

"He's sending you to fight a Jedi?" aunt Beru gasped.

"No! I mean, I don't know. You know Erv doesn't tell Galen any details on comm. And obviously Galen will do all the actual fighting. But I'll get go with him and watch and learn."

"Galen didn't mention", Owen mused. He hadn't got up from his armchair.

"I wanted to tell myself! Come on, can't you be a little more excited for me? This is huge! It's the first time I get to go!"

Aunt Beru looked torn. She didn't like one bit the fact that Galen killed people on regular basis, but she had to tolerate it. The idea that Luke would be one step closer to that life didn't sit well with her. But it was also something she had no power over. They had promised Vader that Luke would receive his training. Galen had never revealed in detail what his training had been like before he had come to Tatooine, but Beru was glad Luke would never have to go through the same.

"Why didn't Galen wait for you?"

"Because he's a piece of Bantha—"

"Watch your mouth, Luke", Beru warned.

"I need to go or I'll never catch up with him."

"Let the boy go", Owen muttered. "I'm not going to start arguing about this with his father."

Beru sighed and pulled Luke into a hug. They'd known this day would come eventually. Her boys were Sith learners and they were both grown up now. They were young men now rather than boys. Luke had turned seventeen on Empire Day, Galen would soon be closer to twenty-one than twenty.

"Be careful", she said.

"I'm always careful."

She kissed his forehead before letting him go. "More than usual. Don't do anything reckless. Listen to your brother and do as he says, alright?"

Luke rolled his eyes. "Yeah, fine. Can I go now? I can still catch him and be in Mos Espa before him."

She nodded with a smile. Her little Sith was growing up. She ought to feel proud, not sad or frightened. "May the Force be with you."

He smiled as well, only slightly feeling guilty about lying to her. But lying was an essential skill for a Sith to have. Manipulation was a powerful weapon. Or so he told himself. "Thanks, aunt Beru."

He glanced at Owen, but his uncle just waved him off. Aunt Beru followed him to garage, fussing over him. She wanted to know if he had packed enough clothes, if he had any food, if he had water, if he had his lightsabre. As if he'd ever go anywhere without his lightsabre!

It was completely dark out in the desert now, but it didn't matter. He could have driven through Beggar's Canyon with his eyes closed with the Force as his servant. He revved the engines and enjoyed the cool night air against his face. He had no intention to catch up with Galen tonight. As long as he's be in Mos Espa some time after him, everything would be fine. Galen would go to see Erv first to get a briefing, but Luke could go straight to the hangar where Erv kept the _Rogue Shadow_. He could the hide himself inside and reveal himself once they were out of the system. What could go wrong?

Dawn was breaking when Galen arrived to the outskirts of Mos Espa. First came the slums and slave quarters. It was early, but he had to slow down more than he would've wanted to because of all the slaves on streets on their way to their duties. Once he got past the slave quarters into the inner city, the streets became almost entirely abandoned.

Erv Lekauf lived on the northern side of the city, not even a kilometre away from Jabba the Hutt's city house. It was a wealthy part of the otherwise poor city. Most people there owned several slaves, but Lekauf had none. He shared Lord Vader's hatred towards slavery.

Galen parked the swoop bike by the wall and buzzed the door comm, PROXY hovering near behind him. Lekauf let them in with only a sharp nod for greeting. Galen bowed deeply. They were led into a small living room, door opened to a inner yard allowing the still cool air flow inside. He undid his cloak and sat down to wait. Lekauf offered him water, and closed the door and drew curtains to cover the small windows high on the wall before sitting down himself, back straight like a soldier he was.

"Good to see you, Starkiller", he finally said. "I trust you're well?"

"Yes, sir."

"And Luke?"

"As ever. He's a quick learner. Really keen to get to leave Tatooine. He wants to go to the Academy. Says he wants to be a pilot." Galen shrugged. "Probably because Biggs and Tank are going."

Erv had no idea who Biggs or Tank was, but he knew Lord Vader would not permit his son to leave for the Academy under any circumstances.

"Where am I going?" Galen grunted. Little else mattered to him right now. He wasn't Galen Lars anymore. This was a mission for Starkiller. It was who he truly was.

"Lord Vader will tell you himself. I've notified him of your arrival, so I'm sure he will contact you holodroid soon."

They didn't need to wait for long.

"He's here", PROXY informed before the hologram activated. Darth Vader formed in front of them as if he'd physically materialised inside the room.

Lekauf snapped to attention and Galen dropped on his knee.

"Master", he breathed out. He could feel the Dark Lord's presence only faintly.

"Good morning, Lord Vader", Lekauf greeted.

"Leave us", the Dark Lord ordered with slight inclination of his head.

"Yes, Lord Vader." Lekauf left the room and closed the door behind him. Galen knew the man well enough to know he would not linger behind it to eavesdrop.

Vader looked down upon him for nearly a minute before speaking: "You were weak when I found you."

The words seeped disdain. Galen was careful not to let anything show on his face. He knew he'd been weak. But he wasn't weak anymore. Everything Vader had done and taught him had made him stronger, had given him power. His connection to the Dark Side was stronger than ever.

"Past years have made you stronger, the Dark Side has become your strength", his Master continued.

Could this be it? Would Master finally formally accept him as his apprentice? His heart leapt, but he almost dared not to hope.

"But your training is still incomplete", the Sith Lord finished.

Galen bowed his head to not let Vader see the disappointment in his eyes. It shouldn't have affected him, but it stung like a cold knife turned around inside him to know that he _still_ wasn't good enough.

"What is your will, my Master?" he asked quietly.

"It is time to face your first true test."

"Your spies have located a Jedi?" he gasped enthusiastically, lifting his face to look up at his Master. Perhaps he was closer than than Vader was willing to say out loud.

"Yes" Vader confirmed. "Rise."

Galen obeyed swiftly. Vader paced in the small room.

"Master Rahm Kota", the Sith announced the name of the hated enemy. "He's attacking a critical Imperial shipyard in Nar Shaddaa. Destroy him and bring me his lightsabre."

"I shall leave at once, my Master", Galen replied with a small bow, ready to exit the room and fully expected the hologram to disappear. But Vader was not finished yet.

"The Emperor must no discover you."

Galen turned around and clasped his hands behind his back. He inclined his head a little as a token of respect, but he knew these instructions well. Vader never failed to remind him of them.

"Leave no witnesses. Kill everyone aboard. Imperials and Kota's men alike."

Galen opened his mouth to protest about killing Imperial soldiers, then quickly closed it. His Master was right, of course. It may not have sat well with him to kill his own, but he had done so in the past and would in the future should need arise. This would just be one of those times. "As you wish, my Master."

"Master Kota is far more powerful than you. I do not expect you to survive."

With that the hologram disappeared and PROXY's posture collapsed momentarily before his systems were back online. The implied threat lingered heavily in the room. Failure was not an option. Either he would kill the Jedi or die trying.

Galen opened the door with a wave of his hand as an invitation for Lekauf to return and sat back on the sofa. His Master's aide walked in shortly after.

"Do you have our destination?" Galen asked the droid after a long moment of ruminative silence.

"Yes, Lord Vader sent me the coordinates and I downloaded more information about the target. Would you like to hear it?"

"Fire away."

"The target of the terrorists is Sienar Fleet Systems' low orbit TIE-fighter construction facility. It mass-produces TIE/LN-starfighters and is protected by Imperial Navy Commandos."

Galen crossed his arms across his chest and nodded. Commandos he could take easily. They were well trained and accurate shots, but with a lightsabre in his hand, he didn't need to worry about the blaster fire.

"If the terrorists attack according to what our Intelligence discovered, we should have plenty of time to get there."

"You keep talking of terrorists. Are there more than just Master Kota?"Galen asked, despite remembering Vader's words of "Kota's men". He'd assumed it meant the Jedi had couple of local gunmen with him who felt the Empire had wronged them, but this sounded bigger.

"The intelligence doesn't mention Master Kota at all", PROXY said, "but there is a large group of terrorist led by a Jedi in the sector, who have been attacking Imperial targets for months now. This would appear to be their largest attack so far."

"So he has an army?" Galen huffed.

"It would appear so, master."

"Master Kota", Lekauf spoke for the first time after his return. "So you are hunting a Jedi Master this time."

"Yes. Finally", Starkiller murmured. He'd never fought a real Jedi Master. He'd fought padawans and knights, and knights who called themselves masters, but not once had he gone against a true Master. He had asked Lord Vader, but had been told he'd be killed if he were to ever face a Master.

"Patience, my boy", Lekauf said. "I told you you would, once Lord Vader deemed you ready."

"I've been ready for a long time", Galen grunted. _Luke's holding me back_, a little voice whispered at the back of his mind. He pushed the thought away. Luke was like a brother to him, but there were still times when bitterness washed over him. The thoughts ashamed him, and yet he thought he could be so much more now if he still lived on the Star Destroyer with PROXY like he used to. If he could just devote all his time to his training, maybe Master would've already accepted him as his apprentice.

"That's for Lord Vader to decide. Since he's now sending you to eliminate a Jedi Master, he must believe you can do it."

Galen's eyes averted. "I don't think he does. He always says he doesn't expect me to survive."

He straightened his back and looked back at the man. He didn't want to sound whiny. A bad habit he'd picked from Luke. "Which is exactly why. To improve I need to constantly fight and defeat opponents better than me."

Lekauf nodded. The man understood him better than anyone else he'd ever met. They were both loyal to Vader, and they both understood what it took to serve under the man's command.

"Best of luck then, Starkiller. Destroy that Jedi."

"Consider it done", Galen smirked. He turned to look at his droid. "PROXY, give me the target."

The droid's holograms activated and formed a shape of an old human man. His beard and long bound hair were white, and numerous deep lines on his face revealed his age. There were three long scars on his face, one over his right eye. His expression was stern and determined, his stance spoke of military experience.

"According to Imperial record", PROXY spoke with the Jedi's unfamiliar voice, "Master Rahm Kota was a respected general in the Clone Wars. A military genius, but felt that the clone soldiers were unfit for battle. Instead he relied on his own militia, and vanished after Order 66. Official Imperial records claim he's dead."

PROXY shut the hologram. Galen leant into his hands and thought.

"So there were no clones in his squad during Order 66 and he escaped in the midst of chaos", he mused.

"That would seem the most likely solution", PROXY agreed.

"Why has he surfaced now?"

"By the damage he's done so far, I'd say he wants to be found", Lekauf commented.

"It's a trap then."

"Exactly."

"Great, sounds like fun", Galen smirked. "And my pilot?"

"I don't know. I just know Lord Vader sent someone", Lekauf replied. He didn't usually get to meet Starkiller's pilots unless it was needed. The less the pilots knew the better. He knew nothing of the latest one. Just that he would be meeting Starkiller at the docking bay where the _Rogue Shadow_ was kept.

Galen nodded in acknowledgement. The thought of a yet another new pilot to be trained irritated him to no end. Couldn't the pilots just...keep their mouth shut and do as he told them? Why did they have to try to engage him in conversation? Why did they have to be so nosey?

He left the swoop at Lekauf's and walked with PROXY to the docking bay. Both suns were now shining brightly on the blue sky and the air was quickly getting unbearably hot. Even after over eight years of living on this planet, Galen still occasionally found it difficult to adjust to the dry heat.

The docking bay was only a few minutes walk away from Erv's residence. Close, yet private enough. Technically only people with the access code to the door could open it, but Galen knew there were plenty of other ways to get in. It didn't bother him, though. Should any unwanted visitor manage to enter, they'd still have to face the _Rogue Shadow_'s own extensive protections. Even if they got in, the ship had many lethal ways of keeping away unwanted guests.

He walked the short corridor towards the hangar, PROXY heeling him. At the entrance way he doubled back. A woman stood next to censor arrays with a welder in her hand. Galen took a quick step back behind the corner, pulling PROXY with him.

"Who's that?" he whispered, taking a quick peek at her. She didn't seem to have noticed them yet. Blonde hair, civilian clothing. He couldn't say much from this distance.

"I would suspect she is our new pilot", PROXY replied. His photoreceptors being inevitably better and quicker at catching details than a naked human eye ever could, he had probably already managed to combine her facial profile with her name.

"Pilot? Her?"

"Accessing Imperial records."

The droid morphed into a near identical image of the young woman he'd just seen from afar. Now she wore a black TIE-fighter pilot's uniform, a captain's uniform judging by the insignia. She had a pale skin not suited at all for this planet, and light shade of blue eyes. She was slim and tall for a Human female. About the same hight as Luke or perhaps a little taller even. Her hair was neatly tied up under the black cap.

"Captain Juno Eclipse", PROXY said with a soft female voice. Galen couldn't make a connection to any specific planet from the accent. Somewhere from the Core, certainly.

"Born on Corulag where she became the youngest student ever accepted into the Imperial Academy. Decorated combat pilot with over one hundred combat missions, and a commanding officer during the bombing of Callos. Hand-picked by Lord Vader to lead his Black Squadron, but later re-assigned for a top secret mission."

Galen raised an eyebrow. Impressive stuff. She must have blown up something pretty badly to have Vader send her here. She didn't know it, but it was essentially a suicide mission. There'd be no way out for her of this alive. She knew too much already.

"Is there a psychological profile in there, too?" the same female voice asked mischievously behind his back. Galen stumbled to turn around and the hologram of Captain Eclipse next to him turned to face the real one. She stood astride, arms folded to her chest with a scowl on her face.

Galen could only stare –and scold himself for letting her surprise him. He'd survived countless of ambushes from PROXY, and now he'd entirely missed her coming.

"Actually, yes", PROXY replied with his own voice, abandoning the hologram. "But it's restricted."

He leaned closer to Galen and raised his hand to his face to mimic whispering. "Oh, master, I can tell she's going to be _impossible_ to reprogram."

"Do you know why you're here?" he asked her, pushing the droid aside. Annoyance replaced the moment of embarrassment he'd felt over her managing to sneak up on him.

"Yes", came an instant reply. She moved her hands to her hips and comically PROXY copied the movement. "Lord Vader's orders were clear. I'm to keep your ship running and fly you wherever your missions require."

Oh, she was cocky. Galen hated her instantly. "Did Vader tell you he killed our last pilot?"

Her confidence faltered only a little. "No", she admitted turning quickly around and headed back for the _Rogue Shadow._

"But I can only assume _he_ gave Lord Vader a good reason to do so", she said over her shoulder, pulling a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I will not."

Galen hummed dismissively and followed with PROXY as his shadow. "I hope so, I'm sick of training new pilots."

He glanced at the _Rogue Shadow_ properly for the first time since his arrival and instantly remembered Eclipse standing with a welder.

"What have you done to my ship?" he barked.

"I've, uh, taken the liberty of upgrading the _Rogue Shadow_'s censor array", she told. Carefully, but clearly proud of her work. "Now you'll be able to spy on any suspect ships within the entire system."

Galen didn't comment or praise her efforts. He was already walking up the steep ramp, assuming she'd follow.

"You are one of Vader's spies", she stated instead. It wasn't voiced as a question, but it was one. Galen turned around to glare down at her.

"Did Lord Vader forget to mention that keeping my ship running and taking me to wherever my missions require are the _only_ things you are to do?" he snarled. "You don't need to know anything about me but where I'm going, and we're going to Nar Shaddaa. Can you handle that?"

She pursed her lips and walked past him. "Of course."

Galen rolled his eyes, but followed. This'd be a long mission no matter where he was going.

It felt good to be back aboard the _Rogue Shadow_ nevertheless. Here he had a proper, familiar training room, and no one would bother him, nor would he have to worry about the hanging laundry or aunt Beru getting in the way of his lightsabre. He left his rucksack on the floor and headed to the cockpit. The ramp had been closed, and Captain Eclipse was already seated. PROXY was on his usual seat.

"Ready to go when you are", she informed.

"We can go", he said, taking the seat next to her. She didn't say anything apart from communicating with the local tower before they were in space and ready to make the hyperspace jump.

"Coordinates for Nar Shaddaa logged. Prepare for light speed", she said keying the final numbers for the jump. The hyperdrive hummed softly and stars stretched into long, white lines.

"So, what do I call you?" she asked, rotating on her chair to face him after the view was filled with the blue hyperspace tunnel.

"Starkiller."

"I'm assuming that's not your real name", she smirked.

"You assume correctly", he said, although it wasn't entirely true. While he was now more accustomed to the name Galen Lars, he still considered Starkiller his true identity.

She leant back in her seat with a thin lipped smile. "Fine. I can see time's just gonna fly by with you."

"I could kill you faster than you draw your blaster", he snapped.

"I'm sure you could. However, then you'd be without a pilot. See what your masters would think of that."

Galen frowned at her, but didn't say anything to add fuel to their verbal sparring.

"I'll be in the training room if you need me", he said getting up abruptly. "I trust you're familiar with the ship."

"Absolutely", she assured. "I arrived early in the morning and familiarised myself with the layout, controls, the weapon system... You've got an impressive ship."

She was genuinely impressed by the _Rogue Shadow._ Starkiller opened the cockpit door. He didn't turn back to look at her as he walked away.

"I know. Try not to break her."


	2. Chapter II

Starkiller left the cockpit. He needed to meditate, needed to prepare his mind for the mission ahead. Above all, he needed to rest for a while before confronting the Jedi since he had not slept the previous night. He headed for his little bedroom behind the training room and promptly fell on his bunk. He'd have a few hours.

He had no idea how much time had passed when he next opened his eyes, something sifting in the Force and alerting him. He could hear the hyperdrive, a clear indicator that they hadn't arrived yet. Slowly, quietly he stood up. Listening.

He reached out with the Force. He could feel Captain Eclipse, but nothing about her felt out of place. And yet...there was something elusive, something hiding in the shadows.

His hand hovered over the lightsaber as he cautiously approached the door. It could be PROXY attempting to ambush him again. It could be something worse.

He waved his hand to will the door to open. Little light on the lock panel flashed blue and the moment the door opened he lunged forward, weapon at hand. A shadow in the dark room, a shape that was not a hologram turned around and stumbled to back away. Starkiller attacked before the intruded had time to fully react. The figure stepped back with a yelp, narrowly escaping the red blade.

It fell, and Starkiller struck to decapitate the unknown being. And as he did, another red lightsaber activated, just barely in time to block his killing blow.

"Galen, it's me!" the figure called frantically.

The Sith apprentice froze. "Luke..?"

He deactivated the blade at the familiar voice and hurriedly stepped back. With the Force he activated the lights and saw his brother half lying on the floor where he'd ungracefully fallen. The Force signature he could've recognised systems away blossomed as Luke let go of the mental shields that had kept him hidden. He as well deactivated his lightsaber and stood up, adjusting his black robes with an awkward smile.

"Surprise!" the boy grinned with arms opened wide.

Galen didn't feel like smiling. He blinked, his heart kept beating rapidly and his adrenalin filled body itched for action.

"You–you kriffing noski, what are you doing here?" he barked, still clutching the 'saber hilt in his hand. He didn't get an answer, because Captain Eclipse chose the moment to rush into the training room, blaster ready and aimed at them.

"I heard noise–" she started, then froze upon noticing Luke. "How did he get in? I-I swear I checked the entire ship!"

Galen turned to his brother with an angry frown. "It's not your fault, Captain. He knows a few tricks to fool the simple minded."

"Simple minded?" she repeated offendedly, but lowered the blaster. "You know him?"

"Unfortunately..." he muttered.

Luke combed back his hair with his fingers. "Yeah, I sort of slipped in with her... Easy to hide from her, obviously. And well..." He shrugged. "If there's any Force sensitive I know how to hide from it's you."

"Are you mad?" Galen very nearly shouted at him. "I almost killed you!"

Oh, he was dead. _Dead_ if Darth Vader found out Luke was with him.

"No you _didn't_," Luke huffed amusedly, then sobered a little. "Seriously, you weren't gonna..?"

"Of course I was about to kill you! I thought you were a thief or a spy or worse! What were you thinking?"

"I just wanted to see you in action!" Luke countered stubbornly. The boy folded his arms across his chest. "I won't get in your way, I promise."

Galen snorted, finally clipping the hilt back on his belt. "You're not coming! We're turning this ship around, and you go straight back!"

Captain Eclipse cleared her throat. "Actually, that might not be a good idea."

Galen turned sharply at her, for the first time taking a proper look at her since boarding. She'd changed her civilian clothing for her black uniform. "Why not?"

"Well, I don't know what you've been doing for the past few hours, so you may have missed it, but we are closer to Nar Shaddaa than we are to Tatooine. Lord Vader gave me _very_ strict orders to never take the quickest or the shortest route out of or to Tatooine, so there's no way we'll make it to Nar Shaddaa in time if we turn back now. If we are on a strict schedule, I mean. Which, I might add, I don't know yet because–"

"We are on a schedule", Galen interrupted bluntly.

She shrugged. It looked like their stowaway wasn't dangerous. "In that case I advice we keep our course. We can drop him off later. You haven't briefed me about Nar Shaddaa yet."

"We're going to Nar Shaddaa?" Luke gasped excitedly. "Hutt space?"

"_I'm_ going to Nar Shaddaa," Galen corrected. "You're not going anywhere. If I can't take you back, you stay in the ship."

Luke let out a childish whine of protest, but the fierce look Galen gave him silenced the boy.

"Captain, go back to the cockpit," he ordered. "I need to talk with him."

She backed away to the door uncomfortably. "You aren't going to kill him, are you?"

Galen crossed his arms and glowered at Luke. "He'll live."

Luke rolled his eyes at him. Neither said another word until the door closed behind the Captain and they could tell through the Force she really had gone.

"What were you thinking?" Galen urged between grit teeth. "Do you realise that Vader's gonna end me if he finds out?"

"Relax, he doesn't need to know."

"He'll know the moment Aunt Beru notices you're gone! She'll contact Lekauf and he _will_ contact your father!"

"I'm not a complete idiot!" Luke exclaimed. "I told them he sent me with you. And they believed me!"

"Really?" Galen questioned sarcastically. "They believed that _Lord Vader_ sent _you_ to hunt a Jedi with me? You've never been on a mission before!"

Luke narrowed his eyes and assumed more assertive stance. "No, I told them I'm here to watch you. And I'm going to."

Galen held his head in despair. He couldn't take Luke back, but having him with them was a huge risk. Just the fact that Lord Vader wouldn't be happy about this was one thing, but it was legitimately dangerous in the way Luke wasn't trained for. Luke was an excellent dualist, but he had never duelled anyone else but PROXY and Galen. He had defended himself against a swarm of little training droids, the Tusken Raiders, pirates and swoop gangs, but none of those were the same as trained stormtroopers or indeed the navy commandos Galen was supposed to face in a matter of hours. It was always different out there.

Vader almost always said he didn't expect Galen to make it, and all those times he truly had to give everything he had to survive. There had been many, many close calls. Sometimes, though he loathed to admit it, it had been more luck than skill that he had come out victorious and alive to tell the tale.

Some of Galen's pilots had died on missions. What if someone managed to invade or shoot down the _Rogue Shadow_ while Luke was onboard? What if the Jedi sensed him and somehow realised who Luke was? There were about thousand things that could go wrong.

And it wasn't even about Luke's training. It was about keeping him hidden. Luke was the only thing the Emperor or anyone else could truly utilise against Darth Vader, or so Galen at least believed. There was no other life Lord Vader valued as much as he valued the life of his son. If someone saw Luke, thought he was a Jedi and investigated, sooner or later they'd run into the name Skywalker. Even if they couldn't attach the name to Lord Vader, it was trouble enough.

Even if Galen hadn't cared for Darth Vader's reasons, Luke was still his brother. And like Lord Vader, there were no other lives he valued as much as he valued those of his family.

His brother sighed and came to his side. "Are you really hunting a Jedi?" Luke wanted to know.

"Yes."

"Prime..!"

"No it's not," Galen argued. "It's serious and dangerous. He's by far the most dangerous target I've ever had," he continued with a slightest tint of pride in his tone. "But you shouldn't be here."

"Come on, I can take any Jedi just as well as you can," his little brother said confidently.

"No you can't. When was the last time you beat _me_ in a duel?"

"Last week," Luke replied without missing a beat.

"Exactly. And how many times have we duelled after that?"

His brother shrugged. "I dunno. A few?"

"A few. A few times which _you lost_. If I'd been trying to kill you any of those times you'd be dead. You should not be here."

"Well repeating it isn't going to change things," Luke pointed out. "I'm here now, so can't you just be happy about it? Please, Galen. I just want to see what you do. How am I ever gonna become a true Sith if I never get out of Tatooine? If I _never_ get to do the things you do."

Galen breathed out heavily. "Fine. But you're not leaving this ship. And you'll do exactly as I tell you. And _don't_ call me Galen."

"Promise," Luke agreed. "...can I see the cockpit?"

"I guess so," Galen sighed. "I need to brief Captain Eclipse, anyway."

"Prime," Luke repeated with a grin his brother didn't share.

Captain Eclipse turned her chair around upon their arrival. PROXY stood up, its head turning from Galen to Luke and back in a mockery of human confusion.

"Not a word, PROXY," Galen said before the droid could express his surprise.

"Everything alright?" the Captain enquired.

"We've come to an agreement," he stated. "He stays, but is under no circumstances to leave the ship."

"Not even if the ship is about to get destroyed?" Luke wanted to know.

Galen rolled his eyes. "Obviously staying alive is your first priority."

He returned his attention to Juno. "No matter what happens, his safety comes first. You're in charge of him as much as I am."

"Understood."

"Good."

Galen turned the co-pilot's seat with a wave of his hand and collapsed on it heavily. He motioned Luke to take the jump seat.

Juno looked between them. "Okay... I'm Juno. Captain Juno Eclipse from Lord Vader's Black Eight Squadron. What about you?"

"I'm L—

Galen gripped Luke's throat with the Force. "Skywalker. You can call him Skywalker."

He let go and Luke coughed, giving his older brother a murderous look. Galen chose to ignore it. Juno's eyes widened in shock at this small display of his powers. Clearly she was familiar with Darth Vader's signature move.

"Are you...some kind of Jedi hunters?"

"I bring Darth Vader's enemies to justice," he pressed. "And now so do you. He's still learning."

"Hey," Luke protested with a hoarse voice.

"A learner," Galen repeated. "So watch and learn. PROXY, show us the target."

The already familiar image of Rahm Kota formed in PROXY's place.

"This is General Kota," Galen explained. "A Jedi Master who managed to escape from Order 66. Officially dead. He's gathered himself a small army and breaks havoc on Nar Shaddaa's Imperial targets. According to our intelligence he's planning on attacking a TIE-fighter assembling facility in the orbit. He wants to be found. Juno, your job is to stay close, monitor the censors and keep radio contact with me. I'm going in, I find Kota and I execute him. Questions?"

Luke raised his hand, but Galen's attention was still on Juno. She looked worried.

"So we're just walking into a trap? How many pilots have you lost before me..?"

"Seven," he told bluntly, turning to Luke. "Yes?"

"Excellent..." Juno muttered with a slight shake of her head.

"What do I do?"

"You sit there and stay out of Captain Eclipse's way."

Galen stood up. "Until then, I don't care what you do," he told the woman. "But you," he addressed Luke, "are coming with me. PROXY, I need to talk to you, too."

"That would seem necessary," the droid agreed, abandoning the hologram and followed his two masters back to the training room.

"Why did you tell her my name?" Luke barked immediately after the door closed behind them.

"What is master Luke doing here?" PROXY spoke over him.

"Skywalker sounds similar to Starkiller", Galen replied, ignoring the droid for now.

"But that's my real name!"

"And now she thinks it definitely isn't your real name," Galen argued, though truth to be told he had panicked and said the first name he could think of. It shouldn't matter. No one but Juno would know it.

"Why is master Luke here?" PROXY repeated. "Lord Vader–"

"I know what Vader thinks!" irked Galen cut the droid off. "He doesn't know and we're going to make sure he won't find out."

"Oh master," the droid tutted. "Lord Vader will be furious."

"I'm sorry," Luke wailed. With even PROXY saying his father would be angry it finally began to dawn upon Luke why Galen was so distressed of his presence. "I didn't mean to get you in trouble. I promise I'll stay out of the way. And if he finds out, well, I'll talk to him."

Galen breathed out, his tense shoulders relaxing a little. If he could handle Kota, he could handle his little brother. Of Lord Vader he wasn't so sure yet. "Just...stay out of the way. Hide yourself well when he contacts me."

Luke's eyes brightened. "He definitely contacts you every time?"

"Yes. And no, you're not going to be in the same room when that happens", he clarified when Luke's face lit up with excitement. He tried to look certain, but worry gnawed him. What would he do if Lord Vader wanted to see him in person?

* * *

><p>Luke spent rest of the flight in the common lounge and a bit later on moved to the cockpit where Captain Eclipse had elected to stay. They didn't talk much, Luke being afraid of getting his brother in greater trouble if he'd reveal too much and Juno seemed to be very wary of him as well. Galen sulked in his room.<p>

Well, perhaps sulking was not the correct word. He meditated, and like sometimes when he went to the Jundland Wastes to meditate, he seemed like a different person entirely. Luke would never admit it out loud, but he was both in awe and frightened by this side of him.

The whole ship seemed to bathe in thick black tendrils of powerful dark side of the Force which both Juno and PROXY were oblivious to. Luke inhaled it with each breath, feeling himself more powerful than perhaps ever before. When they arrived to the Hutt space, there seemed to be very little left of Galen Lars. Starkiller bristled with power and wore permanent scowl on his face.

But Luke could only watch him with admiration and tiny bit of envy. He'd known Galen had done this all his life, but only now he truly realised the difference between himself and his brother. Galen was a Sith and Luke was still far, far behind him. If he would ever fight his brother when he was so truly in control of the dark side, he wouldn't stand a chance against him. In his full dark battle gear he was a fearsome sight.

Outside the window in the moon's atmosphere hung an enormous skyhook. A shipyard manufacturing TIE-fighters, Juno had told him. As they approached, Luke could sense the distress and chaos inside.

"One of the containment fields is turned off," Juno mused. She'd known it was a trap, but hadn't been expecting a trap this obvious. "Hangar 12."

Galen nodded. "Then that's where you'll drop me. PROXY, you know what to do. Keep an eye on the enemy movements. Captain, stay nearby, but out of the way. Skywalker...sit down and don't touch anything. Stay off the com."

Luke collapsed on the jump seat. "Yes, sir..."

"I'll track you with the onboard scanner," Juno told. "We'll be able to keep an eye on you. Any intel you may need I'll give via comlink."

His brother hummed in acknowledgement, completely focused on the mission ahead. He even gripped the lightsabre hilt in his hand already with his favoured reverse grip Luke had never understood. What purpose did it serve? The regular grip felt much more natural and useful to him.

_May the Force be with you_, Luke sent through the Force.

Galen's frown only deepened. Luke was fond of the Jedi saying, but Galen had little appreciation for it. They both had an extensive knowledge of both Sith and Jedi arts, but out of the two of them Luke was the one with more interest toward the Jedi and their culture. He said he wanted to know the enemy, but Galen supposed it was because of Anakin Skywalker and the late Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Starkiller left the cockpit without a word. Luke turned around quickly to see the monitors. He felt the air move as the landing ramp opened and then closed. Less than a minute passed and then Juno was already flying them away from the facility, out of the range of possible hostile fire.

PROXY had the facility's layout in his memory banks, but it was displayed on the monitor for both Luke and Juno's benefit. The comlink channel was open and it didn't take long for the near silence to turn into muffled screams, blaster fire and the familiar hum of a lightsabre. Luke leant forward, eyes on the monitor.

Galen didn't communicate much with them. He had other things to worry about. Once or twice he asked PROXY for directions, wanted to know where a certain door led to or which corridor to take. He seemed to have an idea where he was heading to, but the resistance sounded heavy. More than anything, Luke wished he could witness it. His body itched for action. He wanted to be there fighting alongside his brother. He could do it, he knew he could.

Juno must have noticed how uneasy he was, for she turned and whispered: "He's in this hangar now."

She pointed the location on the layout, then zoomed out to let him compare it to the skyhooks image. She looked at the screen and frowned. She zoomed back and ran a scan, then picked the comlink. "Starkiller. The bulkhead door is sealed," she told. "You'll need to find a way through it."

No reply from Galen came. The comlink frequency was filled with the sound of heavy blaster fire. Juno pulled a headset to muffle the sounds from Luke and turned her attention to the computer. Having no idea what she was doing, Luke looked at PROXY, but the droid, despite sitting motionlessly on the co-pilot's seat, seemed busy. There wasn't much else for him to do than to look out of the large windows and keep an eye on the screen.

It wasn't something he would've ever admitted out loud, but he was scared. This wasn't just them playing games in Beggar's Canyon. This was real. Galen was being shot at and he was killing everything in his way.

"Eclipse to Starkiller," Juno called suddenly, pulling the headset on his shoulders. "I've intercepted a message from the flight tower. The Imperials have mobilised the TIE-fighter squadron in your sector. Keep your eyes open."

"Will do," a muffled reply came from the headset.

"They're sending in a TIE squadron?" Luke frowned. "But we're on their side!"

"They don't know that," Juno replied. She bit her lower lip as if she as well only now fully realised what that meant. Anyone out there, friend or not, considered them an enemy. "But they aren't necessarily mobilising because of him. General Kota's men seem to have taken over the facility."

Luke wished he could've at least talked to Galen, but knowing how paranoid both his father and Galen were, he knew he better keep off the com. His brother had now been inside for almost half an hour.

Luke turned to look at Juno as she spoke something about lifts. She was so focused on her task she didn't notice him watching.

She looked nice. Very different from anyone he'd ever met or seen on Tatooine. She was a fighter pilot, a captain of her squadron. More than that, she had served under his father and not in just any position. She'd been leading the Black Eight Squadron. There were so many questions he would've wanted to ask. How was it to work for Vader? Was he truly so terrifying as the rumours told?

Luke was always among the firsts to speak in defence of the Empire, reminding people of the goods it had done. Wasn't their school funded by the Empire's Education for the Outer Rim Territories program? In turn they would describe the horrendous acts of cruelty and injustice they swore they'd seen the Empire to have spread. Entire planets killed, entire nations massacred from the orbit. Entire races enslaved. But that was the Emperor's Empire. Destroying it was what he and Galen were training for, wasn't it? It wasn't what his father wanted, surely?

Yet the stories told a different tale. Darth Vader was a brutal savage, knew no mercy, tolerated no mistakes. He would kill his own without a second thought on a whim.

Luke didn't know what to believe, although he knew what he wanted to believe. But the undeniable truth was that he didn't know his father at all, nor did his father know him. They'd only ever met twice. First when he was nine, before Galen, before any of this. He'd been terrified, yet curious of Darth Vader, but his father had left without even saying goodbye.

It had been over four years since the second time they'd met in person. Without any warning in advance Erv had knocked on their door late at night, alerting them of Lord Vader's arrival. A part of Luke had wanted to run hug the man when he finally did indeed arrive, but his feet hadn't moved. He'd frozen to place, terrified like a little child again with no idea of what he was supposed to say or do. Beside him his brother had knelt down and for a moment Luke had considered doing the same. Wasn't he an apprentice as well?

His father had towered over him and Luke had felt his eyes on him, felt the magnificent aura of dark side of the Force close in on him. He'd feared it would suffocate him. Then a leather gloved hand was on his shoulder.

"Good to see you, son," he'd said. Nothing more. The hand let go and Vader strode in to speak with Erv, Owen and Beru without even acknowledging Galen. Not that he talked much to Luke either apart from asking to see the lightsaber he'd constructed. Luke had modelled his after Galen's, who in turn appeared to have modelled his after Vader's. His father had turned the weapon in his hands, but commented nothing. He had wanted to see him spar with PROXY, then with Galen. He had pointed out his errors, but nothing else. His visit had been less than seven hours.

Galen would not talk about Darth Vader. If he asked, his brother would just tell what a wise and a powerful man Vader was. Never anything personal Luke so yearned to know. What did his father like? What was he like in person? Sometimes he felt as if Galen didn't even comprehend the question.

With a lot of coaxing and pestering, all he had got out of his brother was that Darth Vader seemed to enjoy flying and building things. He'd built PROXY, after all. But even that was nothing new. Luke had already known his father had built a droid and a podracer when he was still a slave. Luke had even dragged Erv and Galen with him to the Grand Arena in Mos Espa, and he'd seen a recording of the race his father had won.

Each time Galen left to fulfil a mission, he returned as a different person. Colder. Harder. It took weeks for the frown to melt from his face and for him to stop practising so hard. Now that neither of them went to school anymore, especially Galen devoted all of his time for training, whereas Luke still found time to see his friends.

His eyes wandered to Juno's uniform. She'd been to the Academy. He and Biggs and Tank had been talking about applying. Luke knew it was probably impossible for him to go, but it didn't stop him from dreaming. More than anything, he wanted to be a pilot. The Sith business was fun and useful, but he wasn't sure if the way of the dark side was what he wanted for his life. One of the things Galen would never understand. To Galen, his training was everything.

Maybe later when they were back in hyperspace he could ask Juno. Nothing too obvious. Just let her know he was interested in applying for the Academy and looked up to Lord Vader. He couldn't be the only 17-year old whose dream was to be part of the Black Squadron. He could apply under false name or something. Work hard, become a pilot and aim for Darth Vader's fleet.

A tremble in the Force pulled him from his thoughts. Galen had found the Jedi.

* * *

><p>Starkiller drew back the lightsabre he'd thrown into the chest of one of Kota's men. The last one alive in the corridor.<p>

The facility was a mess. The Imperials had been busy fighting off the terrorists, but he didn't have the luxury of choosing his opponents. Imperial or rebel, whoever stood in his way had to die. There could be no one left alive to tell who had attacked them.

He'd been inside for at least an hour now, first fighting his way through the hangars into the assembly lines, then through the corridors and lifts to get to the upper levels. Kota's plan seemed to be to wear him down as much as possible before confronting him personally. He wondered idly if the General's men knew they were used as pawns. Kota must have known he had practically signed their death sentences personally. So much for the so called nobility of the Jedi.

While he had certainly needed to work hard to get here, Kota was greatly underestimating him, if he thought any of that had exhausted him. If anything, this fore play before the grand finale had only empowered him. It had been a long time since he'd seen action like this and the warm up only served in his favour. The longer he fought, the more he hated Kota. It fuelled him. He had perhaps a few bruises, but no one had managed to blast him. Most of Kota's men were lousy shots, anyway. It was the Commandos he needed to be wary of.

But time was running out. Captain Eclipse had reported the terrorists had managed to do some real damage and the possibility that the entire skyhook would fall off the sky was looking more and more probable by minute. The gravity didn't feel quite right anymore and the floor was tilted –barely noticeably, but it was good to keep that in mind.

"Starkiller," the Captain called in his ear. "I don't like this. The readings I'm getting from the room to your–"

"Not now," Starkiller snarled. "Radio silence until I'm done here."

His pilot hesitated a moment. "Understood. Good luck."

Starkiller scoffed and turned off the comlink from his side. The Sith needed no luck. He'd felt the presence of the Jedi General from the moment he stepped off the _Rogue Shadow_'s landing ramp, but now they were close. Very close. Only one door stood between then. He gestured with his fingers for the blast doors to open and walked in to the Jedi's den.

He had arrived on a catwalk circling the room below. Windows surrounded the entire space filled with computer stations. A command centre of some kind. A tower. Even the floor was partially a window. General Kota stood alone, lightsabre ignited and ready for the duel. The Jedi must have sensed him. He hadn't tried to hide himself.

The Jedi turned to face him. He looked almost exactly like the image PROXY had created. A bit older and different clothes, but it was him. He didn't look like a Jedi. The clothes he wore and the way he held himself spoke of a soldier. Starkiller hadn't expected that. Compared to Kota the Jedi he'd fought before had been...tired. Barely holding onto life and to the light side of the Force.

Their eyes met and the determination on the Jedi's face turned to disappointment. "A boy..?"

The old man blinked and loosened his grip on the green lightsabre's hilt. "Months of gathering an army and attacking Imperial targets, and Vader sends _a boy_ to fight me?"

He sounded insulted.

"Lord Vader has more important things to do," Starkiller taunted in return, a little pleased that it was him stepping into this trap instead of his Master. If the General thought it'd be an easy battle for him, Starkiller had already won. He hated to be underestimated. He may not have been at Vader's level yet, but looking at Kota now, with the knowledge of his disappointment he was sure he could take the old Jedi with one hand behind his back. He would make his Master proud, he would prove his worth.

Lightsabre ignited, gathering lightning in his hand he leapt down without giving the General a chance to reply.

Kota's lightsabre rose to deflect the lightning and struck him with far more force than Starkiller had expected. He attacked again, but the Jedi pushed him away and all the chairs in the room flew at him. With a wave of his arm the apprentice scattered the furniture across the room. He ripped a large screen from the wall and hurled it at Kota, attacking himself immediately after. He used everything and anything he could pull apart to throw at the Jedi, and the Jedi did the same.

Kota relied heavily on Juyo, one of Starkiller's own favourites. The General's way of using the most aggressive of forms, however, was unusual. He preferred to adopt defensive position, even though this was clearly a battle over life and death. Only one of them would leave alive, and Starkiller was determined that the one would be himself. Despite his defensiveness, Kota's attacks were fierce and powerful. Starkiller wasn't worried, though, not yet. He knew enough Soresu to defend himself and to wear off the old Jedi. He was younger. He knew he would prevail once Kota began to tire.

But Kota realised what he tried. His attacks grew stronger yet, his onslaught forced the apprentice to back away. It wasn't just the green lightsabre beating at him. Rahm Kota kept hurling anything movable at him. Starkiller responded with lightning and tried to drive Kota out of the control centre into the cramped corridor where he could force the Jedi in crossfire, but the Jedi wouldn't fall for that, either.

The General was far better at telekinesis than any of his previous opponents had been, save for Vader of course. It was new for Starkiller to have an opponent who could hurl large items at him the same way he himself could. PROXY could mimic telekinesis to some extent, but it was a far cry from reality. Luke on the other hand rarely relied on telekinesis. His brother was good, but Kota was better. The Jedi would not give in and to his horror the exhaustion from getting here was starting to seep in.

Juno's frantic voice called for him, but he ignored her, made no sense of her words.

Starkiller grit his teeth and snarled in frustration as their lightsabres locked once again. So close, yet so far. He could have easily reached to touch Kota if he had any free arms. He backed off to gain more space for a new assault, but Kota had other ideas. Starkiller was thrown across the room, his head hit against a console table dazing him for a brief second before the Force brought him clarity. Without the Force, without the dark side such hit would've killed him. He barely managed to stop an entire console station from crushing him and cast it aside as he scrambled up.

"I can't let you live, boy," Kota called though smoke and rubble. He stood on the other side of the room, lightsabre deactivated. "But I'll be sure to send you ashes to Lord Vader."

Too late Starkiller realised he should've listened to Juno. Kota pressed a small switch attached to his wristcom and explosions shook the entire control centre. Windows shattered and glass rained upon them. Wind blew in and wailed so loudly it almost drowned the sounds of explosions further away. No wonder Kota had been keen on staying in this room. There was a horrible screeching noise and the floor tilted. The explosion had almost ripped the room apart from the rest of the skyhook. He expected not to be able to breathe, but the skyhook must have lost more altitude than he'd realised. The air pressure was low, just barely breathable, but it was enough for a Sith and a Jedi.

But the destruction so far wasn't enough for Kota. He raised his arms and grabbed the thin air. He was about to rip the entire tower room apart. The walls crunched and metal wailed. The Jedi was trying to kill both of them. The room turned over, first tilting slowly away from the structure it had been attached to, then quickly and suddenly. Both men fell from the floor onto the wall. White cracks all over the windows that hadn't yet shattered expanded every time their weight on the glass shifted. The tower still somehow hung from the skyhook, but they might not for long.

Starkiller stumbled back on his feet, reigniting his lightsabre immediately. Kota lay on the floor, having lost his footing. Starkiller attacked just as he got on his knees, hoping the General would not have time to reignite his weapon, but the green blade met with his red in front of the Jedi Master's face. The man grit his teeth and forced the red blade on a safer distance.

"You think of yourself a Sith, don't you, boy?" the Jedi grunted, pushing up against Starkiller's blade, trying to get back on his feet. Starkiller could not allow that.

"With your Force lightnings and red lightsabre," Kota scoffed. "You're no Sith. Under all that anger and frustration you're just a frightened little child. I can _see_ you."

The apprentice gasped. Trees. Trees reaching high up towards the sky filled his vision. He could hear bird calls and just out of the line of his vision stood someone. His hold on the lightsabre hilt loosened just enough for Kota to manage give himself five more centimetres of room.

But Starkiller did not let the blades unlock. He would not lose because of Kota's trickery. He kept pushing back, ignoring the words, ignoring the strange psychic assault.

"Vader knows it, too," Kota spoke, strain audible in his voice. His arms were trembling, he sounded out of breath. He couldn't hold on much longer. "He hasn't turned you. Your fate lies elsewhere."

Trees again, yet different. Dense and overgrown. He could smell the earth and feel the humid air against his skin. He was looking for something. Someone?

He had to will the stupid mind trick away. He knew his destiny. He was to kill the Emperor. His duty was to fight and learn and train and master every single thing there was to be mastered of the dark side of the Force. Master Vader had not turned him. He had made him strong, had shown him his path, his future. Had given him a family and home.

"He won't be your master for long," Kota sneered.

Snow blew at his face and icy wind beat against his skin. Snow crunched under his shoes, the cold stung his skin. He couldn't see anything but snow in the raging blizzard. Can't go on, this isn't me, no more. No more!

"Stop," Starkiller growled between his teeth, still feeling the freezing air in his lungs. He half expected to see his breath, but it wasn't real. It was just Kota playing with his head. The thin air must have helped.

And he didn't stop, yet he did not go on with the taunts. His expression changed, his voice softened. "I sense...I sense someone else."

The Jedi blinked. His eyes seemed to look far away and he spoke as if in trance, but his lightsaber was unwavering. "You didn't come alone. I sense a presence so bright and magnificent and...unbalanced. I see shackles and darkness. Rage. So much rage in this one. I see–"

The old Jedi's face was suddenly filled with bewilderment. His eyes widened and they finally really met with Starkiller's again. "Me?"

Whatever Kota saw, it seemed to shock him. His guard went down for a mere moment and it was all Starkiller needed. He pushed, roaring as he did and the green blade went with his red, it pressed against the Jedi's face and Kota screamed in anguish as his own lightsabre ate his flesh and burnt his eyes.

No other sound had given Starkiller such satisfaction in a long time.

Kota dropped his lightsabre and the man stumbled backwards, wailing in shock. There was hardly anything left of his eyes or the bridge of his nose but burnt red flesh. It smelt disgusting. He would've fallen straight on his back had Starkiller not wrenched him into the air. He could've snapped the man's neck with a tiny flex of his fingers, but that would've been too easy. He wanted to shatter every single bone in the Jedi's body. Preferably many of them before he died or lost his consciousness.

Kota grunted in pain as Starkiller smashed him against the railing of the catwalk, calling the fallen Jedi's weapon, his price, in his free hand. He hooked both weapons on his belt with a smirk. This time, surely, Master Vader would be proud.

He hauled the man against the roof, then smashed him against the floor. The glass cracked some more. Kota's breath was a pained whine. Even so, he tried to get up. Or so Starkiller thought. The Jedi got on his knees, pressed his palms against the glass and the glass shattered under his Force push. Kota fell, almost taking Starkiller with him, but the apprentice managed to hold onto a window frame and pull himself on it. He peered down, but couldn't tell which of the falling debris was Kota.

"Starkiller? Come in, Starkiller," Juno's voice called. She'd been calling for a while now.

The highest traffic lines couldn't have been more than a few kilometres away. The skyhook had been slowly falling and listing all this time, but amongst the duel he hadn't even noticed. Its failing repulsors couldn't keep the structure in the atmosphere.

"Come in, Starkiller!"

"Stop shouting, I can here you just fine," he snapped. Frantically he tried to search for Kota. Was he dead? He couldn't tell, he couldn't feel him. Terrible, hollow fear settled in his stomach.

"Finally!" Juno exclaimed. "Have you paid attention to anything I've said?"

"I've been a bit busy," he said, carefully standing up in the wind. There wasn't much surface left to stand on in here.

Worry gnawed at Starkiller. There was no way for him to be sure. The wound he had inflected wasn't necessarily life-threatening. It did't bleed and the cut wasn't located on anything vital. A few centimetres deeper and it would've gone through Kota's skull and brains, but as it was now...

But there was the shock and the fall as well. Surely he'd be dead? It had been a suicide, a final desperate attempt to kill the apprentice.

And yet...had it been him, had he fallen. Even blind like Kota he knew he would have survived. He'd have taken advantage of the ships below, or let himself fall until he'd reach the surface traffic. If he could do it, so could Kota.

He's dead, surely he's dead, he tried to reassure himself. He was blind, disoriented by pain. He must have had some broken bones, too. Possible internal bleeding. The fall must have killed him, the apprentice reasoned.

He breathed long and deliberately to calm himself, before speaking to Juno again. "I'm done now."

"About time. That whole thing is coming down. The systems will fail permanently any minute now and then there'll be nothing stopping the factory from crashing down. You need to get out."

"Fly under. I'll get in from the ceiling hatch."

"I'll do my best, but I don't think I can get close enough."

"You don't need to get close."

He shut his eyes, reaching out with the Force one last time in search of the Jedi Master. Nothing. At least he had the lightsabre. He didn't want to lie, but he couldn't report a failure either. The lightsaber would have to be enough proof for his Master.

He opened his eyes just in time to see the _Rogue Shadow_ appear below him and jumped without hesitation. The rush of a free fall lasted less than a second. He slowed down his fall and softened his landing as his feet and hands touched the sleek metal of his ship. The wind blew in his ears, ruffling his hair.

The hatch opened and Luke's head peeked through. Two quick steps and he grabbed his brother's outreached hand and let himself be helped back in.

"That was so wizard!" Luke exclaimed as soon as the hatched closed and the wind couldn't catch their words anymore. "Did you rip the control tower?"

"No, that was Kota," he replied, running fingers through his hair. Broken glass fell down and cut his fingers.

"Oh..." But Luke's good spirits weren't disturbed that easily. "You killed him, though? Tell me everything!"

Starkiller rolled his eyes. "We met, he talked, we fought, I ended it."

"Not like that," his brother whined. "What style did he use? What colour lightsabre did he have? Did he manage to surprise you? How did you kill him? Did he say anything?"

"Juyo, green, no, I threw him against the roof and he said he'd ship my ashes to Vader."

Blatant lies and he had no intention to mention Kota's last words. His weird prediction and the visions. It gave him uncomfortable chills for some reason. Luke opened his mouth for more questions, but Starkiller raised his hand to silence him.

"I don't want to talk about it," he grunted. "Catch."

Luke caught Kota's weapon easily. "This his?"

He turned the hilt around in his hands. It was slender and had a leather band tied around it. Luke ignited the blade and gave it an experimental wave.

"I prefer mine," he denounced and handed the weapon back.

"Yours looks sloppier built," Starkiller remarked, just to annoy his brother.

"Speak for yourself, yours is made of actual scrap metal..!"

"True," he admitted a little more cheerfully. Luke could always lift his spirits.

"Starkiller," the Captain's voice called in his ear. "I'm taking us out of Nal Hutta's space. Anywhere you want me to go?"

"I'll be there in a minute," he replied and then turned to Luke. "I hope we'll have time to ditch you. Come on."

"Quit worrying."

Luke followed him back to the cockpit. Both Juno and PROXY turned to welcome them back.

"Excellent, master!" PROXY praised. "I'm glad to see you in one piece. It'd be shame if you died before I could fulfil my primary programming."

Luke grimaced at the droid. "Do you have to?"

"Inform Lord Vader that the mission's complete," Starkiller told the droid, ignoring entirely his musings of getting to kill him. To Juno he said: "Take us out of the system. Doesn't matter where. I'll be in the training room."

"Can I come?" Luke asked.

Starkiller shook his head. "I'm going to contact Vader. Stay here. And keep yourself hidden."

Luke pouted discontentedly, but accepted his fate and sat next to Captain Eclipse as his brother left, PROXY following like a faithful shadow he was.

Juno fed coordinates to the computer, but her eyes wandered to the young man on the co-pilot's seat. A boy, really. He was shorter than her, had blue eyes and light hair slightly longer than Starkiller's. This boy, Skywalker, didn't share the athletic built with Starkiller, but was clearly trained in similar arts. She hadn't yet seen Starkiller smile even once. The young man was stern and serious, constantly radiating anger and annoyance. Skywalker, on the other hand, had an expressive face. She hadn't had much time to pay attention to him during the mission, but just enough to see that. His eyes and stance spoke of his feelings constantly, whereas she could not read a thing of Starkiller. They looked like night and day, but were dressed in similar dark clothing, and Juno had not missed the lightsabre hilt on Skywalker's belt.

"So how do you and Starkiller know each other?" she risked a question.

The boy straightened himself a little on the chair he'd collapsed on. "We're brothers."

"Really?" She blinked, taken completely aback by the reply. Brothers would have been the last thing she'd suspected, considering how different they looked and how their bickering had made her think they were bitter rivals.

"Oh kriff, I probably shouldn't have told you that. Please don't tell Ga—him."

"I won't," she promised. She knew she shouldn't even have asked. In this line of work, it was often safer the less you knew. But she couldn't help but to be curious. "You both work for Vader then?" she inquired carefully.

The boy's face lit up a little. "Yeah! Well, he does, anyway," he said less enthusiastically. "I never get to see him."

"That might be better. He's quite a fearsome sight."

"Is he? You've met him, haven't you? You flew in the Black Squadron, didn't you?."

"Black Eight Squadron," she corrected "Yes, I did."

And then she was reassigned here after Callos. She still didn't know if it was a reward or a punishment. She feared it was the latter, even if her friends thought it was the former.

"So you've met him? You've _actually_ talked to him?" Skywalker pressed.

Juno had known Vader had fans, but this was the first time she'd had the honour of meeting one. The over enthusiastic types never made it to actually serve under Lord Vader's direct command.

"Many times."

"Tell me about him. Please," the boy asked.

Juno wasn't sure what to say. She admired Lord Vader greatly, felt immense pride for working directly under his command. But like anyone in their right mind, she also feared him. Even if this boy didn't get to meet Vader, he still was an agent under his command. She ought to be careful with her words.

"He's...quite extraordinary," she said. "Intimidating. I could work with him the rest of my life and I'd never get used to being in his presence. I don't think anyone gets used to it. He's the best pilot I've ever seen. A great leader in battle. He's ruthless and won't tolerate failures, but he would never ask anyone to do anything he wouldn't do himself. He fights in the front lines when other commanding officers would stay in the orbit. Him arriving can change the course of the battle in moments. Sometimes the enemy just flees at the sight of him. He doesn't talk much and I've seen him just storm out of the room in the middle of a conversation. I don't think anyone knows much more than that about him."

Skywalker nodded, but looked disappointed. He'd probably heard all that before. Evidently out of the two of them, Starkiller was Lord Vader's favourite. But Starkiller also appeared to be several years older. It made her want to tell Skywalker he was still young, he still had time. Lord Vader would notice him if he worked hard.

What a silly thought.

Starkiller, she assumed, was about the same age as her, perhaps a year or two younger. It was hard to say about Skywalker, but clearly still in his teens.

She almost asked, but Starkiller chose the moment to return. He reached over her, and keyed something to the computer.

"Our new coordinates," he told.

Juno examined them. "That's in the middle of nowhere," she concluded, aligning them with the galactic map. "Scarl? I've never even heard of it. Are you sure you weren't supposed to type in Fondor's coordinates? It's only a few parsecs away."

"No, these are the coordinates and "in the middle of nowhere" is exactly why we're going there."

Skywalker's jaw dropped. "Are we going to _that_ Star Destroyer?"

"Star Destroyer?" Juno repeated.

"There's this _huge_ Star Destroyer the Empire's building," Skywalker explained excitedly, emphasising with arms spread wide. "It's going to be Lord Vader's new flagship when it's ready. Starkiller used to train there."

"I still train there," Starkiller remarked. "And it's a secret."

Skywalker rolled his eyes. "She's gonna see it _anyway_."

Now that she knew they were brothers, she could see where their bickering originated and it was more hilarious than frightening. She turned away to hide her amusement. It was a good thing to have Skywalker on board, she decided. The boy forced the grumpy Jedi assassin out of his comfort zone and made his company much more bearable.

The computer finished calculating the route. Juno pulled the lever, stars stretched before them and the _Rogue Shadow_ jumped to hyperspace.


End file.
